Paper-feeding mechanism



A. G. JONES AND A. W. NIELSON.

PAPER FEEmNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FiLED DEC. 16, 1918.

CUQZ. Patented. Jan. l0, 1922.

3 HEETS-SHEET l.

Fm AFX/w@ .JONES AND A. W. NIELSON.

PAPER FEEDlNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I6, 1918.

Patented Jan. MI, 1922.,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

III

A. G. JONES AND A. W. NIELSON.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I6. 1918.

Img@ Imm Jam. M1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' present invention.

narran stares Partnr erfragen. L

ARCHER Gr. IONES AND ALBERT W. BON, @1F RICHMND. VIRGINIA. ASSIGNORS TG DUPLEX ENVIE-LOPE COMPANY. @1F VEB/GRUA.

IRIICEIMND. A CORPORATION @JF Iranian-remitir@ mneiaanrsm.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jann.. IUD), 1922.,

Application llel December 16, )1913. Serial Io. 267,@27.

Be it known that we. ARCHER G. JONES and .trainer lll'. Niiarsox. both citizens of the linited States, residingat Richmond. in the county of Henrico and State vof Virginia. have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Paper-Feeding Mechanism. of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. i

The present invention relates to mechaiiism for feeding sheets or articles of paper. and in particular. contemplates certain improvements in the feeding instrumentalities of a rotary printing press. designed for operation on successively presented sheets or articles. y

The invention is herein shown as applied to the feeding of envelopes or like articles to Ya rotary printing press of standard construetion. of which certain parts are shown that are essential to a vclear understanding ofthe however. that the invention not in any sense limited or eontined in its application to the type of press herein shown or described. but is susceptible' of adaptation to various other types of presses, for the rapid. accurate and economical feeding of various other classes of goods.

The invention embodies marked improvements and advantages over the lmown types v 'of feeding mechanisms now in use on presses of this cdass. said improvements and advantages being fully set forth in the detailed description that follows. and being shown in the accompanying drawings. wherein Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional view ofthe essential elements of the invention. shown inoperative relation to the impression and type carrying cylinders of a rotary press.

l `igure 2 is a transverse view of the mechanism. certain parts being removed in order to show the cooperation of the mechanism v' with the throw-off devices of the press.

lfigure 3 is a fragmentary view of the parts appearing iii the lower portion of Fig. 1. certain of said parts being removed to disclose other parts more clearly.

rlFigure tis a longitudinal sectional view 'through the parts of a valve mechanism constituting part of the invention.

lfigure 5 is af face view of a rotating valve member, from the plane of the line 5-5.,

rig. 4i.

llt is to be understood.`

Figure 6 is a sectional view, on the line ments of which are conventionally1 indicated in the drawing as a type carrying cylinder L1. and an impression cylinder 2. said cylinders being journalled between side frames 3. 3. As 1s usual in presses of this class. and as for instance shown in United States Letters Patent No. 577.405 and No. (361.245,'

issued February 16, 189i' and November 6. 1900. respectively, jointly to Charles G. llarris and John l". McNutt. provision is made for the separation of these normally cooperating cylinders 1 and 2 in the absence of a sheet or other article between them, so as to prevent the contact of the type on'cyliiider 1 with the surface of cylinder 2. To this end. as in the machines of the aforesaid patents to Harris and McNntt, the shaft of cylinder 2 is mounted in eccentrics 4l, which are journalled in the frames 3. 3. in such manner that when arms 5. 5. of said eccentrics are raised. the shaft of cylinder 2 is lowered.

'll'o control the ,action of these eccentrics. the arms 5. 5, are connected at their outer ends to rods 6, 6, which latter are pivoted at their lower ends to cranks i', 'a'. secured to a spring held shaft 8 that is journalled in the frames 3, 3. 'llo throw the impression cylinder 2 to its highest point. so that stock thereon will receive the impression of the type forms of cylinder 1, the shaft 8 is turned, against the tension of its springs 9, by means of a handle 10, until a shoulder 11 of a collar 12, fast on said shaft, is engaged by the hooked end of an arm 13. This arm 13 is journalled loosely on a shaft lll that is oscil` lated by any suitable means. not shown. for the purpose of securing the alternate separation and bringing together of pairs of feed way carries at its lower end a lug or block 18, that is overhung by the lug 16 of arm 13. The relation of the arms 13 and'1f7 is such. that if there being nothing interposed between the lugs 16 and 18, the arm 17 will not, in the partial rotation of shaft 14:, in any act upon the arm 13, and consequently the hooked end of the latter will remain in engagement with the collar 12, thus retaining the impression cylinder controlling shaft 8 in its operative position.

As in the aforesaid patents to Harris and McNutt, the above described mechanism is made responsive to the presence or absence of stock between the feed rolls 15, 15, for controlling the tripping of shaft 8. To this end, a feeler-lever 19 isdisposed between said feed rolls 15, said lever being fulcrunied on' a bracket 20 that is carried by one of the standards 21 employed inthe intermittent movement of said feed rolls.- The other arm of lever 19 has a pin and slot engagement with a lever 22,v which is fulcrumed, by means of a'slot 23 on a screw .24. At its lower end the lever 22 carries a lug 25, which roper operation of`- is designed during the" the press `to be intermittently moved vinto and out of ,the space between the lugs.16 and 18. The upper arm of lever 19 is free to move into an annular groove or space provided between portions of the upper feed Iro'll 15, in the absence of stock between the feed rolls 15.

When stock is properly fed between the upper and lower feed rolls of the feeler-lever 19, by the elevation'ofstandard 21, is depressed upon coming in contact with the stock between the feed rolls, thus causing the actuation vof lever 22. The rocking of lever 22 throws the lug 25 out of the space between lugs 16 and 18. This prevents the swinging'arin 17 from having any etfectuponthe. hooked arm 13. lf howT ever, there be no stock between the feed rolls 15 when they are brought into contact" by .elevation of standard 21, then the upper arm of the feeler-lever 19 will pass into the groove or space of upper feed, roll 15 when acting upon the lever 22. l'llhe lug 25 being within the space between lugs 16 and 18 when the arm 17 is moved upward,vit will effect the upward movement of arm 13a-nd its disengagement with collar 12, thus Vperiuitting the spring impelled shaft-8 to bring about v,the .lowering of impression cylinder 2. `Wlien the lever 22'is thus not actuated bv the feeler-lever 19, it is free to be moved upward under the action of arm 17 by sliding on its fulcrum screw 24.

0f itself. the mechanism above described is not new, but is well known in presses of' the type disclosed in the aforesaid patents to l-lariis and Mic-Nutt. According to the present invention, said mechanism above described is'combinedand co-related with av 15 this upper armdetail. 'f

As herein shown by way of example, the stock to be fed consists of a stack 26 of envelopes or similar articles, said stack being confined and supported in a plurality of guide bars 27, 27, that extend upwardly and rearwardlyv 'from a supporting block 28. According to the invention, envelopes or other articles are 'withdrawn one by one from vthe bottom of the stack, and are deposited thereafter on a feedtable 29, from which they are pushed or otherwise delivered into the space between thev feetlrollers 15'. The lowermost article of the stack 26 has its opposite edges engaged by two the feed rolls 15, 15, will now be describedin Aao ormore small rollers, 30, whiehare freely journalled'on pins carried by the block 28, so that the peripheries of said rollers project inwardly slightly-beneath and in supporting relation to said edges of the lowermost article. Assaid article is withdrawn,

'by a tensile pull exerted on its 'under surface, as hereinafter described, it is dexed slightly to draw it past the contactin rollers 3 0, which are free. to rotate un er the friction of the article against their lperiphcries.V Thel article next above then descends by gravity into contact with said rollers 30, which support the same and the superposed stack as before, until the withdrawingineans again becomes operative.

As herein Shown, said withdrawing means consists of a plurality of suction tubes 31.,v

here shown as four in number, which project upwardly3 from a hollow block 32. The block 32 is carried' on the free end of an arm 33 which is journalledon a rod 34: that extends transversely between the side frames 3, 3. rllhe arm 33 has a projecting lug 35 on its u nder side, to which is pivotally connected a link or rod 36, whose lower end is forked, as

at 37 to embrace a shaft 38. The link or rod 36 has journaled thereon'4 a cam roller' 39 which is adapted to travel in thefcani groove L10 of a cam 41 on shaft 38. `.'lhesliaft 38 .is

lia

@instantlyv rotated, during the operatioinof the machine througha suitable connection.

such as a sprocket chain 42. with the shaft of the constantly rotating impression cylinder 2. Through the lilik' 36.- therefore, -a

rocking movementis imparted to the arm 33.

v,to raise the block 32 and suction tubes 31 frorrnthe full linepositiori to the' dotted line posit-ion shown in Fig.' 1. thus b1- inging said suction tubes into contact with the'lowermost' article of Astack'26 andjhen'loweringsaid suction tubes to cause thedeposit ofthe seized article on the feed table 29; .Y

The hollow interior.- of block 32', with iat "ist

which .the suction tubes 31 communicate, has a flexible connecting tube or pipe 43 that leads to the` interior of a member M, llfig. et, having a tubular passage l therein. A second member t6 having an alined tubular passage sti' is disposed opposite the member j lt. and said tubular passage 4'4" has leading therefrom a flexible connector 48 that-leads to a suitable exhausting mechanism, such as a vacuum pump. notshown. The members l-t and 16 are each loosely disposed on oppositely projecting hub portions -419, 4:91 of a disk 50 that is pinned or keyed to the shaft 38 and interposed between said two members. lnterposed between the disk 50 and the member t6. and also loosely disposed on the corresponding hub lportion 49. is a disk 51 han ing an opening or passage, 52 therein that is normally in line with the passages 15 and t? of the stationary members 14 and 16. Said stationary members il and 46 are connected on their outer peripheries b v springs 53. which yieldingly press the contacting surfaces of said members and. said disks 50 and 51 into close engagement so as to prevent the leakage of air past said surfaces. The members it and t6 are anchored b v means of suitable connections 5l to the fixed framework. so that these members are held stationary in respect to the constantly rotating correspondingly located passages l5 and 5'2- of member il and disk 51. respectively. .Sts-

Y suming that the opening or passage is in the position shown in Fig. 4t, this registration of the passage above referred to. will establish communication between the passages 45 and li'. and consequently the suction created by the exhausting mechanism will hev exerted at the ends of the'tubes 31'. This registration occurs when the tubes 31 are in the dotted line position of Fig. 1. so that the lowermost article of the stack 26 is acted upon by said suction. which is of sufficient force to withdraw said lower-most article on the return movement of the tubes 31 to their `full line position, lFig. 1. After the passage 55 has travelled out of registration with the passages t5 and 52. b v the continued rotation of disk 50. the suction exerted b v the exhausting mechanism is cut off. but obviously a vacuum or partial vacuum is maintained in the tubes 31 and connected parts. since the blank wall of the disk 50 is against the open end of passage l5. Thereafter. coincident with the arrival of the seized article in a horizontal position on the feed table :29, a recess' 56 of disk 50 moves into registration with the inner end of passage 45. This recess 56 has a passage 5i' leading therefrom to the periphery of disk 50 and opening to the atmosphere. Consequently, when the recess tion of the machine therefore, the continuous n rotation of the disk 50 procures the exertion of a vacuum through the tubes 31 to seize an article from the stack 26. and furthermore this suction is maintained to hold the article against displacement until it is deposited -upon the feed table 29; thereupon the suction is relieved and the article completely freed from the induence of the tubes 31. due to the inrush of air through the passage 5T and recess 56. I

As'deposited on the feed table 29. the envelope or other article is held in squared and accurate position between a pair of side "guides 58..one of which is provided with a light spring 59, operative against the edge of the article to press its opposite edge into contact with the opposite side guide 5S. ltn

this position the article is operated upon bv,

a plurality of pusher fingers 60 which arie adapted to engage its rear edge and project it into the space between the feed -rolleis 15. 15.l The pusher fingers 60 are carried on the end of a plate 61 which is attached to a reciprocating member 62. the latter being moved back and forth horizontally in suitable guides 63. in timed relation tothe other instrumentalities of the machine. Said member 62 is reciprocated in ani,Y well known manner, as for instance b v .a crank connectionV with the shaft of impression c vlinder 2, not shown. or in any other well known manner. The pusher fingers 60 move forward to project each article, as deposited*l on the feed table 29, into the space lbetween Qtshe rolls 15. `whereupon said article is seized by said rolls and forwarded -in the usual manner to the printing cylinders 1 and 2; said pusher fingers are then moved rearwardly, out of the way of the suction tubes 31, so as to provide for the deliveryof the next succeeding article on the feed table 29, in position to be operated upon by the next stroke of said pusher fingers.

The disk 51 whose passage 52 has been assumed to be in registration with the passages t5 and di'. is held in this position h v means of a spring 65, the force of which is exerted to maintain a lug 66 on said disk in contact with'a fixed pin 6T. On the opposite portion of said disk from the lug`66 is provided alug 68, from which projects a. pin 69. The impression cylinder'controlling shaft 8 has a depending arm ill., to the lower end of which is pivotally connected a link T1, having at its free end a hook il! adapted to cooperate with the pin 69 of lug 68. It

rock shaft 73 'extending transversely of the,-

machine has secured at one end, adjacent the handle 10 of shaft 8. a' handle or crank the link 71, yi

74. Said rock shaft 73 carries an arm 75 which in its normal positionlies justbeneath the hooked link 71, being heldin this position by 'a spring 76. A spring 77, secured to ldingly draws said link downwardly. r As heretofore stated, the depression of handle on shaft 8, to cause the engage-v .ment of shoulderll with the arm 13, procures the elevation of impression cylinder 2 .into its operative position.- Normally .the

shaft 8' remains in this latched `position as long as the feed of stock between the rolls' 15, is continued, it being clear, as stated above, that the feeler-lever 19 is 'prevented from rising b the presence of stock'between said rolls. owever, in the absencel of an yarticle between said rolls, due to a failure ot the feed orto any, other cause, the shaft 8 isi released,Vl as above described, so as to permitits rocking by springs 9, 'to lower the` im- A pression cylinder 2.V This rocking of shaft 8, which is vavailed of to-separate the printing cylinders, andalso to throw out the clutch ofthe machine, in the event of. a failure inthe feed, is alsomade operative on the suction controlling instrumentalities described above. .Through arm 70 and hooked link 71, the rocking of 'shaft 8is communicated to the disk 51, to turn the latter a sufficient distance to' carry the passage v52 out fvregistration with passage 47, thus closing pff the suction through said passages. In all machines of this.class,' after' the power is thrown olf, the high `momentum""carries the parts through several additional revolutions, with .the result that ordinarily the feed of articles iscOntinued, thus causing a .waste of stock, sincev said articles pass through the machine without receiving any impression from the printing cylinders. By the present improvement, however, in which the suction is immediately cut 0E, there is no waste of stock even though the 'machine lcontinues to turnover a number of revolutions atterthe power is s hutol'.

In order to start up the machine, a. handle or crank 74; is rocked to .bring'the arm 75 'against the under side ofl k li1r1ak17 ].,`thereby lifting 4sald link suiliciently to' free the pinv 69 from vhook72. lThis allows the -disk 51 to return to its normal position, under the influence of spring 65. Thereupon the hand le 10 ofosh'aft 8 is rocked, to eii'ect the env gagementof shoulder 11 with aim 13, thusl elevating the impression cylinder 2 to its normalpposition', and 'starting' upthe machine bv throwing'in the clutch, in the usual manner. The fact that the disk 51 hasbeen 'returned to itsnorlual position by the crank '-l before .rocking the-handle y10, insures that i the suction tubes 31 will remove the lowermostl article fromfthe stack -on the first downward stroke of the arm33. Otherwise n te the machine might immediatelyl be stopped incanto by the failure to deliver an article between i the rolls 15 following the first downward stroke of the arm 3,3.v j s llt is to be noted that the presentinventionl 'aHords a highly eiicient feeding mechanism,

which, as applied tothe feeding of envelopes to a printing press, presents Imarked 'advantages over the feeding devices now in ordinary use. vlln the device of the present invention, either. face of the envelope may be presented to .the suction tubes, whereas 1n all the prior devices it is usually necessary to bring about the engagement of swinging pickers, having a considerable ythrow with the corners .of iaps that are present on one side only of the envelope. Furthermore, in v all prior devices uf this class a 'great wastage of stock is inevitable, whereas with v.the pres# ent invention this wastage is eliminated, and I' at lthe same time the speed of feeding is increased, and the throw of reciprocating or swinging parts is reduced.

1. ln mechanism of the classdeseribed, the combination withy retaining means for a stack of Hatliexible articles "fof'rotary' means for, engaging'the. edges ofthe lower- "most article to support said stackl and means for withdrawing .successive art 3. Inymechanism. of the class described,`

the combination with retainin means for a stack of flat flexible articles, o rotary means.. for engaging the ed es of the lowermostarticle to support sai stack, and means for withdrawing successive articles, liatwise,

Vtrom the bottom of said stack by ile'xure of said articles past said rotary vengaging means, the rictional rotation of said venga ing means permitting the iiex'ure of sald articles. 'f

4. In mechanism of the classl described, thecombination with retaining means for a stack of flat articles, f rot-ary means engaging the edges of the lowermost article to support said'stack, means forsuccessively M- withdrawing articles' from said'fstack .by flex'ure of said articles past said,1'otary engaging means by yfrictional rotiliOnof the atter,l a. suppoitfor 4each article so withlfof each article from said withdrawing means when inthe plane of said support.

5y. lln mechanism of the class described,r

drawn, a11d means forprocuring the release 'y 'i the combination with retaining means tor a stack of dat articles, of rotary means engaging the edges of the lowermost articles to support said stack, said engaging means comprising movable elements adapted for frictional rotation by the successive withdrawals of each :lowermost article.

6. ln mechanism oi the class described, the combination with retaining means for a stack of dat articles, of means engaging the edgesof the lowermost article to Support said stack, and a suction device operable against the surface ot said lowermost article to flex the same past said rotary engaging means, the rictional rotation ot said sup-v porting means permitting tlexure of said article.

ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a movable member tor successively withdrawing articles from a stack, `.and a rotating shaft for operating said member, of valve means mounted on said shaft for controlling a suction in Said member.

8. lin a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a movable member for successively withdrawing articles from a stack, and a rotating shaft tor operating said member, oit a valve comprising relatively movable members mounted on said shaft for controlling a suction in the withdrawing member.

9. lln almechanism of the class described, the combination with a. movable member tor successively withdrawing articles from a stack, and a rotating shaft for operating said member, ot a valve comprising rela-` tively movable members mount@ on Said shaft, the said valve 'members being provided with registering ports tor procuring a suc tion in said withdrawing member in advance of each withdrawal and for procuring the release ot said suction in advance ot each delivery.

l0. lin a machine oit the cla described, the combination with article feeding means, a rotating shaft for operating said feeding means, and a throw-ott mechanism tor disconnecting said machine trona the driving power, of ovalve means mounted on shaft and operated by the rotation thereof for controlling a suction in said feeding means, and means coacting with said valve means for immediately shutting 0E the suction from said article 'eeding means upon the operat-ion of said throw-od mechanism.

li. lin a machine ci the class describech' the combination with article feeding means,

a rotating shaft for operating said feeding means, and a throw-oft mechanism for disconnecting said machine tromthe driving power, ot a valve mounted on said shaft and operated by the rotation thereof for conv power, oli a valve comprising relatively movable members one o' which 1s rotatable with said shaft tor controlling a suction in said feeding means, and means for moving another ot' said valve members upon the operation ot said throw-otl mechanism to shut ott the suction.

13. rll`he combination, with the` feed dei vices and throw-od mechanism ot a printing prese, of a suction member normally operative to deliver articles to said feed devices, rota means driven simultaneously with said eed devices for controlling the suction through said member, and means cooperat.

ing with said rotary means for shutting o y'the suction through said member in response to the actuation of said throw-cti' mechanism and the disk connection of the press trom the driving power.,

Dated this titth day of December, i918.

ARCHER G. JONES. ALBERT W. NIELSGN.

Witnesses:

M. l?. Raonnrr, E. la' wenn. 

